About Our Main Speaker

BIOSKETCH: Melanie Bunn, RN, MS

Melanie Bunn is a nurse, teacher, trainer, speaker, coach, consultant, support group facilitator, researcher, mom, daughter and sister. She combines these roles with a love of travel and a fear of boredom to create a way of supporting herself and her family while improving the lives of people with dementia and their families. She is associated with Dementia Alliance of North Carolina (formerly known as Alzheimer’s North Carolina), Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care, Bunn Consulting, and Duke University School of Nursing.

Melanie received her undergraduate degree in nursing from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, her Master’s Degree in Family Health Nursing from Clemson University and a Post-Master’s Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Certificate from Duke University.

She is a skilled and experienced advanced practice nurse and nurse educator, conducting over 200 presentations and trainings annually to health professionals, community organizations, first responders, families and others. She was part of the award winning Accepting the Challenge DVD with Teepa Snow. Her research participation has focused on improving care of older people, especially those with cognitive impairment, through improving the education of inter-professional teams and families. She has volunteered as an Alzheimer’s Support Group Facilitator for over 25 years.

In 2014, she was awarded the Dr. Ewald W. Busse Award by the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services Department of Health and Human Services for her contributions to improving the care of older adults with dementia and their families. In 2012, she received the Potter’s Hand award for similar contributions. In 2001, she was named Educator of the Year by the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. The North Carolina Nurses Association named her Gerontological Nurse of the Year in 1995.

About Our Guest Speaker

Abigayle Hensley

Abigayle Hensley is compassionate and purposeful, and has dedicated her career to assisting clients with family law and elder law issues. Because she understands that her clients’ lives are changing significantly, Abigayle talks to her clients, listens to their concerns, and helps them understand their options. “I try to make the process as easy as possible and as clear as possible,” Abigayle says. “It’s important that they understand the legality of the situation.”

At BB&C, Abigayle helps elder law clients with estate planning, the arrangement of assets and long-term care, and the organization of Veterans Affairs and Medicaid benefits. As a trained GAL, trained Family Law arbitrator, and a trained Collaborative Law Professional, Abigayle promotes amicable resolutions when possible and provides zealous advocacy when litigation is necessary. “At the end of the day, I strive to understand my client’s emotions so that I can help them find peace with their situation,” she says.

Before moving to Lafayette, Abigayle practiced in Carmel, Indiana, for six years. She graduated from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2008.